Staffordshire Bull Terriers - Temperament & Colours

Over the years, Staffordshire Bull Terriers have received a lot of undeserved bad press and as such many dogs find their way to rescue centres and animal shelters all over the country. However, these smart looking and good natured dogs only develop aggressive behavioural issues because too many of their owners fail to understand their pets needs. They neglect to train their Staffs correctly with many dogs having to put up with unnecessary and harsh abuse from people.

Powerful, Muscular But Soft Natured

Staffies are powerful with an ancestry that boasts being of fighting"" dog stock. But with this said, they are wonderfully social canines and because they are so intelligent, Staffs are extremely easy and fun to train. Once a Staff is well socialised and has been put through their paces, they turn into one of the most loyal and loving companions a dog owner could ever hope to own. In short, they become valued members of a family showing total devotion to their owners in many different doggy ways! It would be fair to say that Staffies definitely prefer human company to that of other canine friends.

Staffies are after all ""terriers"" and therefore have that special mentally that only terriers boast having. This means there's nothing they like more than being kept busy! They boast tons of stamina and although they are tough characters, they will not generally ""pick a fight"". They will however, be very quick to defend both themselves and their owners if they feel they are being threatened in any way.

Clever, Intelligent & Sensitive Canines

The problem is that these clever canines resemble Pit Bulls but only in looks and not in character at all. They are brilliant around young children and enjoy spending time in their company, showing incredible loyalty to kids of all ages – which has earned the breed lots praise and is even thought of as being ""legendary"".

Staffies are smooth-coated, they are strong and well balanced with muscular bodies which makes them extremely agile, they are light and fast on their feet. They need loads of exercise to stay happy both physically and mentally although a good hour's exercise a day is quite acceptable. But they do so much better in homes where they can be out and about as much as possible or playing with children – in fact, Staffies are real comedians as well as being wonderfully reliable pets to have around a home. But as with any other breed of dog, young children should never be left alone with a pet because toddlers tend to play ""too hard"".

A Lovely Variety of Colours

When it comes to coat colours, Staffordshire Bull Terriers boast many varieties all of which add to the appeal of these strong, muscular canines. You often see brindle coats but solid colours of the breed include the following:

• Red
• Fawn
• White
• Black
• Blue
• Liver

However, any of the above colours mixed with white can also often be found in the breed which include the following:

• Red and white
• Fawn and white
• Black and white
• Blue and white
• Brindle and white

Then there are all the different shades of brindle and white too from lighter tones to much deeper and richer hues. There are some undesirable colours too though which includes black and tan or black and liver.

The Health Issues To Bear in Mind

The breed is renowned for being healthy and robust but they do tend to suffer from certain hereditary problems which is something you would need to know about if you are thinking about either buying or offering a rescue Staffie a home. This is especially true for anyone who is thinking about breeding from their pets. However, unless you are a breeder, it is not a good idea to breed from a Staffie bitch because finding good homes for the pups could prove really hard adding to an already existing problem of unwanted pets.

The most common health issues that Staffordshire Bull Terriers tend to suffer from include the following:

• Hereditary Cataracts
• Skin Allergies
• Dermatitis

Cataracts in Staffies can develop when dogs are relatively young, as early as 8 months old. The condition progressively gets worse until eventually a dog is totally blind. Sadly, both eyes tend to be affected but on the good side of things, responsible breeders would have had their breeding dogs tested for Hereditary Cataracts by way of a DNA test to ensure they are not passing the condition onto any puppies they produce.

When it comes to skin allergies and dermatitis, these conditions tend to happen in the folds of Staffie's skin causing a lot of irritation which leads to sores. This is why a close eye needs to be kept on the condition of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier's coat and skin. If there are any sores or bald patches, the vet would be able to recommend the right course of treatment to clear the condition up.

Adopting a Rescue Staffordshire Bull Terrier

With so many of these lovely dogs ending up in rescue centres and animal shelters, you may like to consider adopting a Staffie so they get a second chance at living out a full and happy life. However, be prepared for a rigorous home check because a reputable dog rescue centre would never knowingly re-home a Staffie to someone who is not an acceptable owner. You can view many Staffordshire bull terriers which are lookng for a new home in our adoption section.

Only Buy From a Reputable Breeder

You should only buy a Staffordshire Bull Terrier from a reputable breeder or someone who has a very good record for breeding them. You should never contemplate buying a Staff puppy from a pet shop because they are sensitive little characters and they would have suffered a lot of stress from being in a pet shop environment - not to mention that you would not know where the pups have come from and if they have been well bred and correctly socialised. You can view many Staffordshire bull terriers from breeders and private individualswhich are lookng for a new home in ourfor sale section.

Should You Choose a Male or Female?

When it comes to choosing a male or a female Staff, it's very much a question of personal choice. However, males by nature tend to be more dominant and would therefore need to be gently taught who is ""top dog"" from a very young age. A bitch, on the other hand, is quite the opposite and looks to their owner as being the boss around the home.

You need to bear in mind that a more dominant character would need a much firmer hard whether a female or male because as with any breed of dog, strong characters need to know who is the boss. It is, however, just as important for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier to obey other members of the family too.

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